Battery hand lamp



Dec. 25, 1928. E. ALSCHULER BATTERY HAND LAMP Original Filed Jan 4, 1919 f/ //{///{Y////f///////// ////////////////.f//ll//l/l//A f///////////////////////////// Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

NETE. STATES? y 1,696,513 gaat evince.

ERNEST ALSCHULER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSGNOP., BY DIRECTAND MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, OF ONE-HALF TO NATONAL CARBON COMPANY, INC., 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK, AND ONE-HALF TO HENRY HYMAN, 0F

NEW YORK, N, Y.

BATTERY HAND LAMP.

Application led January 4c, 1919, Serial No. 269,705. Renewed February 7, 1928.

This invention relates to battery hand lamps.

A battery hand lamp is usually provided with a circuit-closin g switch which is mount ed on the battery-receiving casing, and is adapted to normally connect the lamp on the o end of the casing in circuit with a battery. The end of the casing opposite the lamp is usually closed by a cap carrying a spring, which not only firmly holds one terminal of the battery in contact with the terminal of the lamp, but also itself engages and makes contact with the other terminal of the battery to complete the circuit.

The switch will sometimes be accidentally shifted (as when the lamp is in the tool box of an automobile), thereby closing the circuit and causing the battery to discharge.

One of the objects of this invention, therefore, is to provide a battery hand lamp having provisions whereby the circuit may be opened to prevent accidental lighting of the lamp by inadvertent shifting of the switch.

A battery hand lamp switch is usually provided with two circuit-closing elements, one of which, being usually in the form of a pushbutton, is adapted for intermittent closing of the circuit, while the other,`which is usually in the form of a thumb `piece sliding along the casing, is adapted for duration closing of the circuit. In view of the fact that the latter is usually actuated by the thumb, which, when the hand lamp is held in one hand, is directed towards the lamp end of the casing, for convenience in operation, the thumb piece will be movable towards the lamp end of the casing when the circuit is to be closed.

Another object is to provide a battery hand lamp employing means to open the circuit to prevent accidental lighting of the lamp, but which means is constructed so as not to interfere with the normal desirable operation of the circuit closing switch.

Another object is to provide a circuit-closing switch which is simple in construction, effective in its action, and cheap to manufacture.

Further objects will appear from the detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan of a hand lamp embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a section 011 the line 2 2, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail of Figure 2;

Figure is an enlarged detail of Figure 2, showing the circu it-closing switch; and

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5--5, Figure 4..

l'teferring to the accompanying drawing, 1 designates a casing of insulating material having threaded sheet metal sleeves 2 and 3 zat the ends thereof secured in position by rivets t. Mounted in one end of the casing is a reflector 5 carrying a lamp G having a contact 7, and Vthis reliector is provided with a :flange 8. The part. of the reflector adjacent the flange so proportioned as `to 'bear against the inside edge of the casing end, so as to space the flange a short distance from the casing and the sleeve 2 which terminates at the casing edge. Clamped between the flange 8 and a flange 9 on a threaded sleeve 1() cooperating with the sleeve 2 is a lens 11.

Secured to the outside of the `casing by rivets 12 and 18 is a base 14 of a circuit-closing switch. This base is formed of sheet metal and has a struck up port-ion 15 forming a housing for the switch elements. A lead comprising a strip 16 of metal is connected by rivets 17 and 18 to the casing and extends a short distance beyond the casing so yas to malte contact with the flange 8 of the reflector.

The rivet 18 forms a terminal positioned in the housing 15 at its forward end.

Positioned within the housing 15 are a pair of switching elements 19 and 20. The element 19 comprises a resilient plate of metal of substantially the form of the housing and this plate is provided at its forward endwith a button 21 projecting through an aperture in the housing, while the button shanlr22 pro jecting through the strip and riveted in place forms a contact, adapted to cooperate with the terminal 18. rlhe element 2O has notches 28 in its opposite faces, adapted to receivelegs 24 on a thumb piece 25 sliding on the housing 15 and sliding also in notches 2G in the element 19. These legs 24 are turned over as shown at 27 so as to operate to retain the superposed elements 19 and 2O in position in the housing. The element- 20 is provided with a contact 28, adapted to engage the terminal 18. It will be understood that the thumb piece 25 is constructed of sheet metal and that the legs 24 slide in slots 29 in the top of the housing 15.

In order to intermittently close the circuit,

the button 21 is depressed to make contact with the terminal 18, and in order to make duration or permanent contact to close the circuit for intervals, the thumb piece 25 is pushed forwardly towards the lamp end of the casing, thereby causing the end 2S to enw gage the terminal 18.

A lead is connected by the rivet 13 to the casing and electrically with the base 1d, and this lead e' 'ends rearwardly so as to project a short distance beyond the. rear end of the casing;` and it is secured at its rear end by the rivet Sti which is, however, countersunk so as to be out of electrical contact with the sleeve 3. Mounted on the threaded sleeve 3 threaded cap 3T, the end of which is provided with a turned in flange adapted to engage and make contact with the projecting end of the lea-d Secured between the turned in flange and the end of the cap is the usual spiral spring` S9, which is adapted to bear against the rear end of the battery Ll0 lso as to hold it in position, and cause its front terminal to contact with the terminal 7 of the lamp, while the spring' 39 itself makes contact with the other terminal of the battery to electrically connect this battery with the metal cap 37.

lt will, therefore, be seen tiiat the lead 35, the metal cap 37 and its spring S9 complete the circuit comprising the battery, the lamp, the lead 1G, the circuit-closing)` switch, the lead 35, the cap 3T and the spring 5f). When it is, however, desired to open the circuit, the cap is iin-screwed a turn or more, thereby movingv this cap out of Contact with the projectingl end of the lead and opening` the circuit, as the lead 35 and the cap 37 form an auxiliary switch, which is in series with the circuit-closingl switch. Then the circuit is thus opened, the circuit-closing` switch can be closed and can be shifted without closing the. circuit, and accordingly, accidental lighting` of the lamp by shifting of the circuit-closing` switch is prevented. The spring` 39 has, however, sufficient tension so that it will firmly hold the battery in position even when the cap is unscrewed enough to onen the circuit.

lt will be thus seen that the invention accomplishes its objects. llechanisni is provided whereby accidental lighting of the lamp is prevented, even though the circuitclosing` switch be shifted. This n'iechanism, however, is so constructed that it will not interfere with the normal operation of the circuit-closing switch, since the latter can be shifted in its normal forward direction towards the lamp end ofthe casing when the circuit is to be closed. This is accomplished by is a utili'zincj a fil-ed lead as one of the contacts of the auiniiary switch, which lead is connected with the circuit-closing switch, so that the switches are wholly independent.

lt is obvious that various changes may be made in the details of construction, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. ln a battery hand lamp, the combination of a tubular casing, a battery therein, a metallic reflector at one rnd of the casing, a lamp mounted in the reflechir with one terminal electrically connected thereto, and the other terminal connected to one terminal of the battery, a lens associated with the reflector, metallic fittings insulated from said reflector' for holding said lens in place, circuit connections between the other terminal of the battery and said reflector, said connections including two conductors fixed in position upon the inside of the casing` and two switch mechanisms arranged in series, one of said switch mechanisms being adapted to establish a circuit between the said conductors, and the other mechanism including` a` conducting cap for holding the battery in place and included in the circuit through one of Said conductors.

ln a battery hand lamp, the combination of a tubular casing, a battery therein, a metallic reflector at one end ofthe casing, a lamp mounted in the reflector with one terminal electrically connected to one terminal of the battery, a lens associated with the reflector, metallic fittings insulated from said reflector for holding said lens in place, circuit conne"- tions between the other terminal of the battery and said reflector, said connections including` two conductors fired in position upon the inside of the casing' and two switch mechanisms arranged in series, one of said switch mechanisms being' adapted to establish a circuit between the said conductors and the other mechanism includingan all metallic cap detachably mounted on the. other end of the casing, and means within said cap and electrically connected thereto and to the other terminal of the battery for establishing,` a circuit from this terminal of the battery to said second conductor.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature this 27th day of August, 1918.

ERNEST ALSCHULER. 

